Drudge is reporting that an unmanned drone launched by an animal rights group near the Broxton Bridge Plantation was shot down.

Apparantly, the group was trying to stop a live pigeon shoot. The Times and Democrat reports that the shoot was cancelled but the group launched the drone anyway. Shortly after launch several shots rang out and the drone crashed on a local highway.

According to the report, Hindi told the responding deputy the group's remote-controlled aircraft "was hovering over U.S. 601 when he heard a shot come from the wood line. The shot sounded to him that it was of small caliber."

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Hindi estimated damage to the drone at around $200 to $300.

Note to self: (Scribbles) Use...... Larger..... Caliber.

__________________
TheGolden Rule of Tool Use: "If you don't know what you are doing, DON'T."

As much as I despise some of the antis antics...... two wrongs do not make a right. Here in Wisconsin it is also illegal to harass hunters......but, it is also illegal to intentionally shoot across a highway. It is also illegal to damage private property that is not on your property without the owners permission. On top of that, since the witness said it sounded like small arms fire, it was unsafe to shoot into the air with solid projectiles without any idea of where they may land. In reality, lowering themselves below the level of the antis, by those hunters breaking the law, being unsafe and irresponsible, in the public's eye, it could end up being a victory for the antis. We as shooters/hunters need to exhibit positive images. While it makes me snicker a little knowing the drone was shot down, I'm also worried about the overall impression given to others that do not shoot/hunt.........because they are still in the majority.

Doesn't the FAA have minimum altitude requirements for un-manned aircraft? Either way, it's just plain stupid to put up a camera drone near a shotgun range. What did they think might happen?

I don't think they are supposed to be over 400 feet. I suppose if a guy had a rangefinder and was directly under the targeted aircraft you might know for certain provided no one is shooting at it with anything. If the drone is over 400feet then you get the FAA involved.

In Iowa animal rights groups were sneaking cameras into livestock buildings and posting the video online to harm the industry.....legislature passed a law prohibiting the practice unless they have permission of the property owner.

I'd think unauthorized camera surveillance on private property without a court order is no different than illegal wiretapping.

American citizens lost a lot of rights with the recent national security legislation that was recently passed and signed into law by BO. From what I have read, the government does not need to have a warrant to use a drone for looking at you and your property from a drone. They can also hold an American citizen indefinitely without any trial.

If they shot it down with shotguns it's no different then duck hunting.

Yep, it's no different than duck hunting in one respect. Tell a warden here that you've been shooting ducks across the road and see what happens. The difference is, it was private property that was illegally damaged while legally operating in public airspace, and done so in a dangerous way. Hard to believe anyone can endorse that.

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I'd think unauthorized camera surveillance on private property without a court order is no different than illegal wiretapping.

Again, many here are quick to respond about how MAYBE there was something done illegally by the antis to justify the shooting. Truth is the facts only support that the only illegal methods employed were by the shooters. The old double standard that is so widely used here on public forums....it's "okay for me to do it, but they better not!", as in.....
"It's okay for me to illegally shoot wolves and cougars, but my neighbor better not shoot at a deer after shooting hours, or step one foot on my property, or I'm gonna turn him in!".

According to the report, Hindi told the responding deputy the group's remote-controlled aircraft "was hovering over U.S. 601 when he heard a shot come from the wood line. The shot sounded to him that it was of small caliber."

That's your complainant talking. I've been a cop for a lot of years and I know better than to take a complainant's statement at face value, especially if it is self-serving.

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Originally Posted by buck460XVR

It is also illegal to damage private property that is not on your property without the owners permission. On top of that, since the witness said it sounded like small arms fire, it was unsafe to shoot into the air with solid projectiles

Except for the complainant's statement, we don't know where the toy was flying when it was shot. For that matter, we don't even know that it was shot. A more compelling argument is that the anti-gunner was flying his toy, was startled at the sound of gunfire and crashed the helicopter. It may have been over the highway, it might not have been over the highway. And, a 12 gauge shotgun is definitely a small-arm. It's perfectly acceptable to shoot a shotgun into the sky. That's what it is designed for.

Were I the plantation owner, I wouldn't admit anything. Make 'em prove it all. My position would be that I and a number of friends were enjoying a little perfectly legal target shooting. "Helicopter? What helicopter?"

You'll notice that the article didn't take a statement from the plantation owner. Simply, he and his guests were enjoying a pleasant afternoon and have no knowledge of a camera-drone-toy-thing.

Also, I hardly doubt that an animal rights group would have the same leeway to video-tape private property as the gov't would...if thats what was going on, I'd think there may be some privacy laws broken by the animal rights group.

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